Continuous ceramic furnace



pl 9, i929. .1.A. DEDoucH CONTINUOUS cERAMxC FURNACE Fired June 13, 1927 A g/Maf 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented jtpr. 3,1929.

autres stares JOSEPH A. DEDOUGH, OF OAK PARK, ILLILN'OJS.`

CONTINUOUS CERAMIC FURNACE.

Application'led .Tune 13,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an end of an embodiment of the furnace;

`Figs. 2 and 3 are'enlarged details of the driving mechanism Fig. 4 is a perspective view of an end of the furnace showing parts broken away to illustrate the furnace details;

Fig. 5, is a small perspective view of a double track furnace chamber; and

Fig. 6 is a similar view of a single track furnace. f

This is an improvement on the furnace shown in my pending application for Letters Patent for continuous ceramic furnace, Serial No. 135,735, filed Japril 22, 1927. n j

The embodiment illustrated shows a furnace which may be used for enamolling, orv

shafts 14 carry Vbevel gears 15 which mesh.

with bevel gears 16, the latter 'being keyed on a central shaft 17 and driven by means of suit-- able reducing A gearing from a "motor 18. Shrouded gears 19 mesh with vthe teeth in vthe under portion of the band conveyors 12 and 13 while guide pulleys 2O are placed at suitableV intervals to hold the band down in mesh with the gears 13.

For very heavy duty work, it may be necessary tokplace the shafts14 quite close to-y gether, particularly in the furnace where the bands 12 and 13 will become quite hot while carrying theload. This construction is'shown in Fig.' 4 in whichY the furnace 10 has a mufflechamber 21 through which passes the metal bandv conveyor 12, 13. Walls 22 and 23 separate the muiileschamber from the heatingchambers 24 and 25 through which pass'the het gases of combustion.

At Ysuitable intervals are placed transverse tubes 26 through which pass shafts 14a which carry shrouded gears 19L which are driven by 1927. Serial No. 198,489.

bevel-gears 15, 16a from the central shaft 17.

The gearsv 19 passthrough suitable openings 26a 1n the tubes 2G. The shafts 14et which lie within the furnace are perferably hollow and connected by means of pipes 27`so that a suitable cooling medium, such as air, or

water, may be passed through them so as toprevent them from becoming too hot. `The y to Fig. 1, a. suitable wire from the furnace 10 at the opposite end (not shown) where it is received and disposed of, and that other material to be burned is fed to the opposite end of the furnace 11. -Both of these operations may be performed by means of parallel conveyors as 23,29, shown. Fig. .1 shows the ends of the strands 12, 13 slidably supported upon a plate 30. 1f ,des sired, idler pulleys mayv beprovided for this purpose instead of theplate 30.

The form heretofore described-is of the ksingle track type shown in Fig. 1 while the furnace proper is shown in Fig. 5. In this furnace a burner -31 directs a )et of fiia'me through the opening 32 which passes back` through a passage 24 as shown in Fig. 4and thence out through the :pipe33 tothe stack.

l F ig. 4 shows the double'track arrangement having band conveyor members 34, 35 travelling in the opposite .direct-ion to the members 12 and 13. The conveyormembers 34Vand 35 are provided with teeth on their lower edges which mesh with shroud gears 36 on the shaft 37 which carries a bevel gear 38 which meshes l with a gear 3901i the shaft 14'a which is jour.- nalled'in suitable bearings not shown). The

conveyor members 34 and35 may also be pron vided at their ends and at intermediate points with meansfor driving similar to those shown and described in connection with the drive vfor the conveyor' members 12 and 13 except that they are driven in the reverse direction.

Fig. 6 shows a furnace chamber 10a which heated. by means of a lgas orl oil 'burner 4() whichl delivers through an opening 41 inthe side the furnace. v The gases then spread and go'toward bothends of the furnace where they pass out of, the pipes 42 and 43 which connect witha suitable flue or stack.v

One' of the advantages of this double tracli furnace is that the hottest part of the furnace is at or near the center and that Athe work to be fired increases inV temperature until shortly afterit has passed the center of the furnace after which it is'liot'ter tliaiithe iiicoming work on the adjacent track or conveyor. Consequently the objects which have just been iired give up part of their Vheat to;

lthan would otherwise be the case.

'Ihus it willV be seen that a very Vsimple and efficient form of furnace is provided and onev which is capable of` being modified to adapt it for a4 wide range of uses. f

While I have shown and described but a v few embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that it is `capable of many modiications. Changes, therefore, in the ai'- rangement and coiisti'uction may befniade v which do not depart lfrom the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in the' appended claims in which my intention is to' claim the inventiony as broadly as vpossible, yin-view of the prior art.

claim :l e.

1. In combinatiomaceramic furnace having a horizontal heating chamber,continuous integral parallel conveyor` elements 'passing throughv said chamber, and means in said chamber for supporting and'propelling said conveyor elements. z f Y 2. In combination, a ceramic fu'rnace'having a horizontal heating c hamber, continuous parallel conveyor elements passing through said chamber, gear teeth on the bottom of said conveyor elements, and gears in" said heating chamberadapted to mesh with saidl gear teeth to propel saidj conveyor' elements through said chamber. i

3. In combination, a ceramicV furnace hav-v V.ing fa horizontal heating. chamber, continedges, .and gears meshing with'said teethxfor nousy parallel conveyor elements passing through said'chamber, saidV elements being iiatandhaving teeth formed on their lower propelling said, conveyor elements. y

4. In. combination, a ceramic furnace having a horizontal v.heating chamber, continuous parallel conveyor elements passing lthrough said' chamber, said elements .being fiat and having teeth formed on their lower edges, and gears vin. saidfchamber meshing with'said teethV forlpropelling said conveyor elements. f

5. In combination, a ceramic furnace havfr ing a'horizontalheating chamber, continuous `parallel conveyor elements passing through said chamber, said elements being lflat and This ensures a.

having teeth formed on' their lower edges, and gears arranged in pairs on the rsame shaft meshing with said teeth for propelling said conveyor 4elements.A

G. In combination, a ceramic furnace hav-V ing a Vhorizontal heating chaii'iber, continuous parallel conveyor elements passing through and meshing with said teeth for propelling` said conveyor elements.V Y

Y In combination, a ceramic furnace hav- 1 ing a horizontal heating chamber, continuous f parallel conveyor elements passing through 4said chamber, gear teeth on the bottom' of said conveyor elements, gears .in said heating chamber adapted to mesh with said gear teeth 'to propel said conveyor v4elements said chamber,y and means for cooling said gears. I

' 8.' In combinatioma ceramic furnace hav ing a horizontal heating chamber, continuous parallel conveyor elements passing through said chamber, gear teeth on the Vbottom of said conveyor elements, gears in said heating lirough chamber adaptedv to meshwith said gear teeth y l to propel said conveyor elements through said chamber, said gears: being carried on y hollow shafts, and means for passing cooling fluid through said hollow shafts.

9. In combination, a ceramic furnace hav.-V

ing a lioiizontal heating chamber, continuous Y parallel conveyor elements passing through said chamber, said elements being flat and having gear teeth on thelower edge, gears at intervals throughout the straight portions of said Velement for vpropelling they same, and a` common nieans for driving allsaid gears.

10. In combination, a ceramic furnace having a horizontal heating chamber, continuous parallel conveyor elements .passing .through intervals throughout the straight ip'ortionsof said element for propelling thefsaine,-anda v longitudinally disposed shafty forv :drivingall p 'n ,n

saidgears. v l v Y. f ze.

1l. In combination,l a ceramic furnac'ejhaving a horizontal heating' chamber, continuousv parallel conveyor elements passing through said chamber, ,said velements lbeing bands,

iurightV positiomandmeans in said chamber for propelling said conveyor elements.

l2. In combination, a ceramic furnace hav-V ing a horizontalheatingchamber, continuous parallel conveyor elements passing through said chamber, saidelements beingbandsf,

means for maintaining YSaideIenfients in an vvsaid chamber, said elements beingrrflatfand 'i having gearteeth von' thel lower edge, gears atk llOV fineans for maintaining said elements in an y ing two furnace chambers arranged side by side, continuous integral parallel conveyor elements passing through said furnaces, and means for propelling said elements.

14. In combination, a ceramic furnace having a horizontal heating chamber, continuous parallel conveyor elements passing through said chamber, means in said chamber for propelling said conveyor elements, and a second conveyor for delivering to said conveyor elements and receiving therefrom objects to be fired.

15. In combination, a ceramic furnace chamber, means for heating the same, integralparallel conveyor members adapted to carry objects to be heated in opposite directions therethrough so that the heat of the 0bjects emerging from the furnace will be utilized to raise the temperature of adjacent ingoing objects. i

16. In combination, a ceramic furnace having a horizontal heating chamber, continuous integral parallel conveyor elements passing through said chamber, means in said chamber for propelling said conveyor elements, and means for cooling said propelling means.

17. In combination, a ceramic furnace having a horizontal heating chamber, continuous parallel conveyor elements passing: through said chamber, said elements being flat and having teeth formed on their lower edges, gears meshing with saidy teeth for propellin0 said conveyor elements, shafts carrying said gears, and means for cooling said shafts.

18. In combination, a ceramic furnace having a horizontal heating chamber, continuous parallel conveyor elements passing through said chamber, said elements being iiat and having teeth formed on their lower edges, gears meshing with-said teeth'for propelling said conveyorelements, shafts carrying said gears, and water-cooling means for cooling said shafts.

19. In combination, a Ceramic furnace having a horizontal heating chamber, continuous integral parallel conveyor elements passing through said chamber, means in said chamber for propelling said conveyor elements, and a chamber separate from the heating chamber for enclosing said propelling means.

20. In combination, a ceramic furnace having a inutile chamber, a heating chamber separated therefrom, continuous parallel conveyor elements passing through said muffle cham ber, means for propelling said conveyor elements, and a chamber lying between said inutile and heating chambers and enclosing the driving means.

21. In combination, aceramic furnace having a horizontalheating chamber, continuous parallel conveyor elements passing through said chamber, said elements being flat and having teeth formed on their lower edges, and gears meshing with said teeth for propelling said conveyor elements', said gears having flanges' to guido said elements. 1

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 31st day of May A. D.

Josera A. DEDoUoH. 

